Makeup brush brand Real Techniques is getting in on the ground floor of the latest innovation with emojis via an application that automatically transforms key words into branded emojis.

The new mobile app, buzzMSG will allow users to interact with a multitude of branded emojis without having to search for the emojis themselves. Real Techniques is converting opted-in users’ conversations into special branded conversations through a technology that detects up on selected brand-related words.

"For Real Techniques makeup brushes, our core demographic is millennial women who are highly beauty-engaged,” said Stacey DeGarmo, brand manager at Real Techniques. “They have grown up with digital and have begun to communicate not only with words, but also with icons.

“Working with BDS Mobile to create brand-specific emoji gives us a chance to join their conversations, and measure engagement with this new icon-language.”

Buzzing on mobile

Users of buzzMSG will be able to select their favorite brands to integrate the SmartEmoji technology into their mobile messaging experiences. Real Techniques fans will be able to discuss makeup with expressive images in a convenient and interesting way that automatically generates an emoji for specific words.

For instance, those that type a name of a kind of makeup brush will see their words transformed into an image of that brush with Real Techniques branding. Fans that type Real Techniques will view the name turned into its branded symbol.

The experience leans on a ‘wow factor,’ likely impressing consumers with its innovative technology and creating a positive sentiment. Real Techniques’ emojis will also spread the branded sentiment, as the app allows users’ to share with friends in their mobile messaging apps.

Fans will be able to share discussions regarding Real Techniques together.

The buzzMSG app is developed by BDS Mobile and also allows marketers to tap into analytics regarding which emojis see the most popularity in what areas.

Emoji experiences

Similarly, The New England Patriots was the latest sports team leveraging emojis to boost fan engagement by using an SDK that enables application users to interact with the social stickers without having to download a separate platform (see more).

Heineken and Major League Soccer also brewed awareness for their annual Rivalry Week festivities by rolling out a custom emoji that will appear in any Tweet containing the #RivalryWeek hashtag (see more).

"Beauty trends are always changing, and we stay ahead by having a tight relationship with our fans,” Ms. DeGarmo said. “Because BDS Mobile gives us the ability to create promotions alongside emoji, and track their specific redemption rates, we are able to promote the right products to increase sales and engagement, all the while helping us better understand what resonates with our fans."